Identification of family variables in parents' groups of children with epilepsy

Abstract

-Objective: To verify the effectiveness of the support group in the identification of family variables linked to epilepsy. Method: Pre-test were applied to parents of 21 children with benign epilepsy of childhood recently diagnosed, from 5 to 15 years, who participated in the groups at HC/Unicamp. There was a presentation of an educational video, discussion and application of the post-test 1. After six months, the post-test 2 was applied. Results: The beliefs were: fear of swallowing the tongue during the seizures (76.19%) and of a future mental disease (66.67%). Facing the epilepsy, fear and sadness appeared. 76.19% of the parents presented overprotection and 90.48%, expected a new seizure. In the post-test 1, the parents affirmed that the information offered had modified the beliefs. In the post-test 2, 80.95% didn't report great doubts about epilepsy and 90.48% considered their relationship with their children better. Conclusions: The demystification of beliefs supplied from the groups influenced the family positively, prevented behavior alterations and guaranteed effective care in the attendance to the child with epilepsy.KEY WORDS: childhood epilepsy, family variables. Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disease in childhood with high incidence of psycho-social difficulties that affect the social adjustment and the quality of child's life and his family 1 . The diagnosis of a chronic disease like epilepsy, generates a series of feelings in the parents, that almost always include: fear, anger, guilt, sadness, anxiety, confusion, denial, concern, fear of the epilepsy coming on accompanied by personality disorders and fear of the effects of medications 2 . These feelings usually provoke inappropriate behavior in the parents, such as: overprotection, permissiveness, rejection and low expectation in relation to their children. The parents treat them as sick, believing that any activity can precipitate a seizure 3 . Many times, the excess of care leads the parents to end up forgetting about the other members of the family. From these reactions, the children learn quickly that there is something wrong with them and consequently they begin to present inadequate behavior of dependence, insecurity, irritability, immaturity. The parents, in this way, perpetuate the stigma, influencing their children to feel apprehensive and full of prejudice in relation to epilepsy. In this context, the family begins to have less proximity and more restrictions of behavior, activities and communication 3 . As the seizures are unexpected and they happen in an unexpected frequency, the parents use inap- Identificação de variáveis familiares em grupos de pais de crianças com epilepsia RESUMO -

Teachers perception about epilepsy

“…Ninety-five percent of teachers answered that they would like to learn more about epilepsy and the Without answer 4 5 Average work time in the area (years) 16 (1-44) 11 (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15) same number thought that the government should act more effectively with this condition. Table 2 summarizes clinical aspects of epilepsy according to teachers.…”

“…This excessive care can lead to passive children and may influence their psycho-social adjustment 8 . Some teachers did not know how to proceed during a seizure; this may be the result of lack of experience with people with e p i l e p s y.…”

“…Some teachers did not know how to proceed during a seizure; this may be the result of lack of experience with people with e p i l e p s y. The lack of understanding of how to deal with epilepsy may cause low expectations in adults and low self-esteem in children with epilepsy 8,11,13 .…”

“…Some people do not know how to deal with a seizure; others believe that it is contagious or that it may cause learning disabilities or other conditions 1 5 -2 0 . All of these i n a p p ropriate ideas are culturally re i n f o rced and can p romote negative feelings and behaviours toward s people with epilepsy 8 .…”

Use of complementary and alternative medicine and the anxiety levels of mothers of children with chronic diseases

“…Families confronting illness experience fear, worry, and anxiety that are related to uncertainty about the course of the disease in their child during the treatment process, repeated operations, tests, the correct administration of medicines, the side-effects of medicines, and the rules and prohibitions (Fernandes & Souza, 2001;Lim et al, 2006;Meleksi, 2002;Özkaya, Çetin, Ug urad, & Samancı, 2010;Svavarsdottir & Rayens, 2005). Studies have found that some alternative medicine methods, such as massage and herbal medicine, can help to reduce both the symptoms in the children and anxiety in their parents.…”